awesome day - could use advise

So - 2006 TYM T233 w/FEL (317hrs)

Been helping a good neighbor with a project and had a little issue with the tractor. Hoping somebody else could give me an idea of what is in store for me. I was unloading wooden beams off the 16' trailer and stacking them on a concrete pad (beams came from old barn tear down). I dropped the load, hit reverse (roughly 20 degree angle/grade), then moved my foot to forward pedal and just as she started to move... really awesome noise and I immediately shut it down. Checked fluids and all was fine. Then lowered the box blade and bucket thinking perhaps I might be low on hydro fluid and I am hearing cavitation or something. Problem still there. I think I have pinpointed the noise and spent the entire day on the phones with my "local" dealer (over 110 miles away) and TYM Corporate. So I do not have any forward or reverse but the 3pt and fel still work well. Did I say it was an awesome day yet?

We think it's the drive shaft to HST connection but won't know until somebody dives into her.

So here's the situation... realize the tractor needs to get onto the trailer (that is still loaded with beams). Now I get to nab the ATV and log grapple and some chains... managed to get the trailer unloaded. But wait.. it gets better...

We had to back the trailer up to the back of the tractor but long story short, we had to unhook the box blade and move it by hand (I say we, I meant I...). Not impossible just par for the course. Finally got everything in position and after the rear wheels had been winched onto the trailer, I ended up having to use the FEL to lift the front of the tractor off the ground while the trailer was slowly backed under it. The winch was not strong enough to pull the front end of the tractor up the loading ramps and onto the trailer. While using the FEL to slightly reposition the tractor and set the bucket down, the ENTIRE FEL JOYSTICK brake off in my hand. The two plastic tabs snapped off. You can imagine the nice words going through my brain at this point.

SO - here we have a tractor on a trailer with a shot drive shaft and a FEL joystick kinda hanging there by the two control cables going to it.

OH --- and I am out of warranty by less than 30 days.

I am really hoping TYM is going to step up and do the right thing on the drive shaft. I fixed several other things out of my own pocket and I have a Deer Dealership within 20 minutes of my house so tell me again why I should stay with TYM?

on another note: My neighbor felt really badly about the tractor breaking while doing a job for him. I did my best to explain that his job did not break the tractor. 317 hours of use is what broke the tractor. I tried to explain it wasn't his fault and things happen for a reason. He is insisting on helping pay for the repair. We're all good old country type folks around here and are constantly doing favors for each other. If you were in my shoes... what would you feel is a fair number so he will let it go, cause if I refuse his help.... he's going to find a way to do something to "help" (bless his heart) and that's not always a good thing. You know how friends can sometimes be a bit thick headed about stuff.